Process for compounding germs with an enveloping protective medium.



UNITED STATES PATENT ora ion.

NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THE-ARLINGTON CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF YOIN'KERS, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. V

PROCESS FOR COMPOUNDING GERMS WITH AN EN 'VELOPING PROTECTIVE MEDIUM.

1,260,899. No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be i known that we, ISAAC F. HARRIS, of

and fitate of New York, have invented a new and useful Process for Compounding Germs with an Envelop'ing Protective Medium, whereby such germs are preserved and sustained in a dormant state of vitality and made better available for internal administration, the following being a fulland exact specification of the process and of the product thereof.

The administration of germs is well known as a means of prevention, or of curing, of diseases, but nomethod of so preparing living germs was heretofore known,

. enabling such germs, as for instance, the

,now well-known Bacillus Bulgarious, to be administered by mouth, and yet to preserve their vitahty during their passage through i the stomach and their capacity to .resume their vital activities, growth and propagatlon, when reaching the organs where it is desired to plant them. This is the object ofour invention, and is attained by the proc- *ess herein set forth, whereby the germs, after being fullydeveloped, are reduced to a dormant state, i. 'e. a'condition, in which their vitality is preserved, but their vital activities, rifle. growth and multiplication, suspended, and then enveloped with an air and moisture excluding substance, which is also neutral, or inert, z. e. not affecting the vitality of the germs, 'or stimulating their vital activities, and from which the may be liberated to resume their vital act1vities.

If the germs are to be prepared for internal administration, through the stomach,

- the enveloping substance must also possess .the quality of protecting them against the action of the gastric juice, during their pass-. ing through the'stomach, and its consistency must be sufliciently reduced by the internal temperature of the body to release the germs under the influence of the peristaltic movements of the intestines.

Taln'ng, for instance, the germ known as Specification of Letters Patent.

Bacillus Bulgarians, the process is car- 1 ried on as follows: Bronxville, county of Westchester, and State of New York, and FREDERICK W, R. Eson- MANN, of Yonkers, county ofWestchester,

vsessing the aforementioned. requisite qualities. The removing of substantially all of the moisture, or reducing the germs to a substantially dry condition, is also necessary to avoid the danger of infection by a growth of mold, and also an excessive development of the products of the germs, which have the tendency to decrease, and may even entirely destroy, the vitality of the germs.

The germs may be separated from the culture by a process of filtration, or the whole culture 'may be reduced to dryness. Any of the usual filtering methods for re- Patented Mar. 26, 1918. Application filed Depember 10, 1914. Serial No. 876,477.

moving bacteria from culture mediums may be employed. If the germs are so small thatthey would pass through ordinary filter paper, cloth, etc., as, for instance, the germs of Bacillus Bulgaricus, a layer of some inert material, such ,as freshly precipitated phosphateoflime, may be placed on the filter paper, cloth, etc., oradded to the culture, incorporating it thoroughly therewith; or a precipitation of phosphate of lime, orof other inert material, may be formed in the culture, and the mixture then filtered. The phosphate of lime, or other suitable inert material, serve as a medium for retaining the germs though permitting the fluid to pass through the filter.

- After the filtering is completed, the residue on the filter is carefully dried, and then reduced to a very fine powder. Then, after determining the vitality of the germs by suitable test methods, this powder-or the similarly powdered culture, previously reduced to' dryness-is incorporated in the afore-specified enveloping substance.

, Various substances may be used for the enveloping of the separated germs, the only condition being that the substance should be inert-4. e. not afiecting the germs,

neither stimulating nor depressing their vitality, air and moisture excluding, and not affected by the gastric juice. The use of any hygroscopic substance as the enveloping substance for the germs must be avoided.

The substance, known as petrolatum, answers these requirements, and as in addition thereto, it possesses also the quality of not bein affected by the gastric juice, it is also capable of protecting the germs, enveloped therein, against the injurious effects of the gastric juice. A further advantage of petrolatum is that it is rendered sufliciently fluid by the application of moderate heat, which facilitates a thorough enveloping of the germs therewith, and also their release therefrom by the combined effect of the internal heat of the body, and the peristaltic movements of the intestines.

If petrolatum is used as the enveloping substance for the germs, it is heated to about 45 degrees 0., and the germs are then added, and thoroughly incorporated therein by mixing and shaking, while the petrolatum is in this fluid condition. The germs thus enveloped in petrolatum remain in their dormant living condition for a long period. Their capacity to resume their vital activities, that is, growin and multiplication, is not affected there y, and is resumed promptly upon the germs being liberated and placed under conditions favorable to their growth and multiplication.

In the course of this treatment of the germs, they and also the materials, vessels, and all implements must be kept in an aseptic condition, and in the course of the filtration, and of the drying of the germs, they should be protected against their infection with harmful bacteria, spores and the like.

If the germs are to be prepared for internal use, and to be introduced through the stomach, it is preferable to incorporate them in petrolatum, or other fatty substance of suitable consistency, but having a low melting point, so that it may be rendered fluid or semi-fluid at the temperature of the interior of the human body, to enable the germs to be liberated therefrom during the progress ofthe peristaltic movements of the lntestines. The use of petrolatum as the enveloping medium for the germs prepared for internal use is preferable also because it does not produce any detrimental effect upon the digestive organs. Petrolatum is readily tolerated in the most sensitive stomachs, and is also capable of being suitably flavored, for instance by adding thereto sugars or other sweetening agents. Furthermore, petrolatum is also more preferable to be used as the enveloping substance state of vitality,

for such germs like Bacillus Bulgaria? which are to be planted in the intestinal tract, because of its action as a mild laxative.

The enveloping substance may also be suitably colored to render it more acceptable, the coloring being preferably red, serving then also to neutralize the effect of light upon the germs, light being detrimental to Balcz'llus Bulgam'cus, and to other germs as we 1.

We claim as our invention:

1. The herein described process of reducing germs to a dormant state of vitality, and of preserving them in that condition, the process comprising the following steps: (1) developing a culture of germs in a matrix fluid; (2) separating the germs therefrom, and rendering them substantially dry; (3) enveloping the germs with a neutral, and air and moisture excluding substance, and not affected by the action of the gastric juices; substantially as herein set forth.

2. The herein described process of reducing germs to a dormant state of vitality, and of preserving them in that condition, the process comprising the following steps: (1) developing a culture of germs in asmatrix fluid; (2) filtering the culture through a layer of inert'material; (3) drying and pulverizing the residue; and (4) mcorporating it in a neutral, and air and moisture excluding substance of a low melting point and capable of resisting the action of the gastric juice; substantially as. herein set forth.

3. The herein described process for pro ducing a compound of germs, and of a neutral, and air and moisture excluding medium, having a low melting point, and resistant to the action of the gastric juice, reserving the germs in a dormant state 0 vitality, the process comprising the following steps: (1) developing a culture of germs in a matrix fluid; (2) separating the germs therefrom and rendering them substantially dry; (3) rendering the preserving and protect1ve medium fluid; and (4) depositing the germs therein and shaking the mixture,

whereby the germs become enveloped therein; substantially as herein set forth.

4. The herein described process for producing a compound of germs in a dormant and of an enveloping medium, of fatty composition, having a low melting point and capable of protecting the germs against the effects of gastric juice, the process comprising the following steps: (1) developing a culture of germs in a matrix fluid; (2) filtering the culture through a layer of inert material; (3) dryin and then pulverizing the residue; (4) ren ering the enveloping medium fluid, and (5) incorporating the pulverized residue therein; substantially as herein set forth.

5. A compound of lactic acid producing bacteria and inert material, made substanbacteria, and inert material, made substantially dry and reduced to powedered condltially dry and reduced to powdered condition, and incorporated in petrolatum; subtion, and incgrgorated a neutrahlaig'1 and stantially as herein set forth. 5 moisture exc u ing su stance, inso u e in ISAAC F HARRIS Water having a lowermelting point than the w temperature of the human body, and inert RLDERICK ESCHMANN' to gastric acid and body fluids; substan- Witnesses: tially as herein set forth. ANNA CARSON, 10' 6. A compound of lactic acid producing ELSIE CRAFT. 

